June 16, 2004

Peter Gabriel

Brian and I took the Bakerloo Line to Wembley Arena where Peter Gabriel put on a theatrical music performance. The trip out there seemed to take about 5 hours from central London. We took a different line back home.

Walking to the venue we noticed that it was mainly a middle-aged couples crowd. This was going to be a mellow audience. Our timing was perfect. We arrived with just enough time to use the loo and get a bad cup of Carling beer.

Gabriel and Co. played enough old stuff to keep me happy. Peter's daughter Melanie sang back-up for him. The lavish stage show made up for the fact that it was an arena concert.

Peter Gabriel on a Segway
During Solisbury Hill Peter and his daughter rode bicylcles on stage, and during Games Without Frontiers they drove around on Segways making precise, robotic-like movements with the machines and their arms.

Peter Gabriel singing Downside-Up
On the song Downside-Up, they both walked upside down on the ceiling.

Peter Gabriel in transparent Habitrail ball
The best stage prop was a gigantic transparent rubber ball which Gabriel climbed into and rolled around stage, rather like a runaway Habitrail, while singing Growing Up. On the chorus, he bounced in place to the beat.

Shock the Monkey was, dissapointingly, not on the set list and the versions of Red Rain and Digging in the Dirt weren't as good as I had hoped. Although it's not my favorite song of his, Sledgehammer was the best of the evening. Gabriel came on stage wearing his brilliant jacket of electric lights and the energy from the crowd made the musicians all the more dynamic.